Fast forward to 2019, and a representative from the Shrine reached out to McGonigle about increasing his charitable giving. “My wife and I were in a position to make a major gift, so I asked the Shrine to identify what they’d like me to support. After all, the people doing the work know where the gift can best be used.”

As it turned out, the Shrine was seeking support for a project that McGonigle was more than happy to support.

“They told me about their Saint ALIVE project, where a professional actress portrays St. Catherine Labouré and tells the story of the Miraculous Medal. As supporters of Colonial Williamsburg and Mount Vernon, we knew firsthand the impact an actor can have in bringing a story to life. This was an evangelization project we could get behind.”

The Shrine is immensely grateful for both the major gift, and for what it symbolizes. “The $30,000 will allow us to maximize the impact of Saint ALIVE,” says Shrine Director Fr. Michael Carroll, CM. “It will also serve as the foundational gift that will attract other donors. A major gift like that increases confidence in the project’s success, and that is attractive to others.”

What matters most to McGonigle is that the Shrine is connecting with people. “The Miraculous Medal is important. The Shrine’s publications are important. The Saint ALIVE project is important. This is about reaching out to people who are the future of the faith. These evangelization efforts are very important.”

Tom and Monica McGonigle of Fairfax, Virginia, believe in what both the Vincentians and The Miraculous Medal Shrine are doing. To show just how much they believe, they pledged a $30,000 gift over the next few years.

“They are really doing two major and important things,” Tom McGonigle believes. “First, the Vincentian charism of service to the poor is fundamental to our Faith and should be cherished. Next, the Shrine is at the forefront of evangelization efforts to make sure our Faith remains vibrant and is passed on to the next generation.”

McGonigle, who is a founding partner of McGonigle and Murphy, a law firm with almost 60 lawyers, first learned of the Shrine through a direct mail campaign. He decided to give a donation, and has been a steady contributor whose donations have increased over the years.

The Vincentians, however, he has known since his youth. “In grade school, we’d make trips to Mary Immaculate Seminary and St. Joe’s in Princeton. They were both run by Vincentians,” he said, before rattling off a number of Vincentian Priests and Brothers who made a lasting impact on the young McGonigle.